New Moonlight chief going to Broadway

Glaudini plans big shows for all ages, including ‘Mary Poppins’ in 2014

Steve Glaudini, the new artistic director of Vista's Moonlight Stage Production, poses on the stage of the company's Moonlight Amphitheatre in September 2012. Glaudini unveiled the 2013 summer season with some company and regional premieres, including "Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein" and "The Who's Tommy." U-T FILE

Steve Glaudini, the new artistic director of Vista's Moonlight Stage Production, poses on the stage of the company's Moonlight Amphitheatre in September 2012. Glaudini unveiled the 2013 summer season with some company and regional premieres, including "Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein" and "The Who's Tommy." U-T FILE

Vista  Steven Glaudini is going Broadway this summer with a slate of shows at the Moonlight Amphitheatre that will feature spectacular sets and costumes from New York.

Glaudini — who took over as artistic director of Moonlight Stage Productions Jan. 1, following the retirement of founding director Kathy Brombacher — today announced three of the summer season’s four shows. The lineup — including “The Wizard of Oz,” “Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein” and “The Who’s Tommy” — clearly reflect Glaudini’s new vision for the company.

“I wanted to accomplish a number of goals during my first season,” Glaudini said. “Shows that are new to the Moonlight is a top priority. This keeps our seasons fresh and the excitement high for our audiences. The visual appeal of our shows is also another priority. Bringing in production elements from Broadway and Madison Square Garden this season will uplift the look of what we put on stage.”

Before joining Moonlight, the producer/director/actor spent five years as artistic director and producer of Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, and was executive producer of Performance Riverside from 1999-2005. With his long record as a producer, and a stint as an Equity agent, Glaudini said he developed a nose for negotiating that has helped him land hard-to-get shows and good prices on sets and costumes.

Glaudini said he’s “hit the ground running” in his new job by lining up shows not only for this year, but for next year as well. On opening night of the Moonlight summer season June 26, Glaudini said he’ll announce the lineups for both the 2014 winter and summer seasons. The big news for summer 2014 is that he has already locked in the San Diego regional theater premiere rights for “Mary Poppins.”

For this summer, the season-opening show is still under wraps. Glaudini said he can’t announce it until mid-March, but it’s a musical classic that has recently been revived on Broadway and some of the sets and costumes from that Tony-winning production will be used at Moonlight. Glaudini will stage direct the production, running June 26-July 13.

Here’s the rest of the 2013 lineup:

• “The Wizard of Oz” – July 24-Aug. 10. Based on the 1939 film adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel, the adult-cast production will feature sets and costumes from the Madison Square Garden production. While running Performance Riverside, Glaudini acquired the Madison Garden sets, and when he produced “Wizard” there in 2003 (and later at Musical Theatre West) the show broke box office records. That’s a feat he plans to repeat at Moonlight.

“I want to get the families out for this show,” he said. “I can’t wait to see the kids running down the hill and enjoying themselves with a show that’s one of the best ever written for families.”

• “Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein” – Aug. 21-Sept. 7. Brooks’ musical parody of classic horror films makes its Southern California professional premiere, featuring sets and costumes from the Broadway production. The high-tech, special effects-laden laboratory set for the Broadway production was scheduled to tour with the show in the U.K., but when the tour was postponed until 2014, Glaudini snapped up the rights for this summer.

“It’s exciting to do the premiere,” he said. “This is a great show. If you remember the 1974 film, you’ll love the musical. It has all the great lines from the movie that everyone will remember. And it is also something children will really enjoy.”

The beloved North County theatrical duo of Randall Hickman and Douglas Davis will co-star in the production. Hickman will play Frankenstein’s Monster and Davis will play both the one-armed Inspector Kemp and the Blind Man. Glaudini said he was eager to cast the larger-than-life Hickman during his first season as Moonlight artistic director because of their long history together. Glaudini’s very first show with Moonlight was performing as Smee, the pirate sidekick to Hickman’s flamboyant Capt. Hook, in the 1996 production of “Peter Pan.”

• “The Who’s Tommy” – Sept. 18-Oct. 5. Born at La Jolla Playhouse in 1992 and this year marking the 20th anniversary of its Broadway debut, the rock opera makes its Moonlight premiere. Glaudini said Moonlight is building its own sets and costumes for the show.

“This is another show that appeals to an older demographic, because the album came out in 1969, but it will also get the kids out because it’s rock ‘n’ roll,” he said.

Season subscriptions go on sale March 30, priced from $112 to $157. Single tickets go on sale May 11, priced from $15 to $50. Call (760) 724-2110,